for people who care about the West

Let's keep talking

The Navajo word
for newspaper means "the paper that gossips," according to a new
booklet on the history of Native American journalism, Pictures of
Our Nobler Selves. The author, Shoshone-Bannock journalist and Salt
Lake Tribune editor Mark Trahant, says that to create an accurate
portrait of Native communities, it's crucial for Native American
journalists to participate in that gossip through both tribal and
mainstream media. Trahant believes newsrooms need to hire more
Indian journalists; he also debunks the myth that they're new to
journalism. Few people realize, he says, that newspapers such as
the Sacramento Bee and San Diego Union were founded with help from
Native Americans. To obtain the free 45-page paperback, write to
The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center, 1207 18th Ave. S.,
Nashville, TN 37212 (615/321-9588) or access the group's Internet
site at http://www.fac.org.